The Rumble-Rumble Fruit's ability to fuse metal is truly useful and fast. Vic only took a few days to synthesize that lightweight, hard, tough, and high-melting-point metal.
Pirate ships built with this metal are completely impervious to attacks such as cannon fire, slashing, flames, and crossbow bolts. They can avoid most physical and chemical damage and are many times stronger than the ships built by Treasure Tree Adam.
Of course, they can't withstand much damage from Devil Fruit abilities, but Vic and his crew aren't dead. Can they really allow Devil Fruit users to attack the pirate ship with impunity?
With this high-performance metal as a base, Vic began building his pirate ship. He could also put his skills learned from Tom to use. Although the craftsmanship of wooden ships and iron ships is different, the shipbuilding mindset is the same. With the lightning metallurgy of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit as a base, it was no different from building a wooden ship.
In Vic's previous life, iron ships required welding to achieve their shape and waterproofing. However, Vic used lightning metallurgy to smelt them, allowing pirate ships to be formed as a single piece without leaving any flaws.
Therefore, Vic doesn't need any help; he just needs to build the necessary functions according to the pre-designed blueprints.
Even with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability, it still took Vic several months to build the entire pirate ship by himself.
It's not the smelting of metal that takes time; the main challenge is figuring out how to harmoniously integrate the envisioned functions into a ship. Some functions are contradictory, and the ship needs to figure out how to arrange them rationally. That's what takes the most time.
The interior of the ship can't be entirely made of metal walls; it also needs to be covered with solid wood and soft furnishings in many places, which takes time and is equivalent to interior decoration.
While Vic was building the ship, Dragon called him, saying that Ginny had been captured by the World Government and asking Vic to help find out where Ginny was being held.
However, when Vic found out about Ginny through Ban's intelligence channels, Ginny had already been taken to the Holy Land Mary Geoise of Mary Geoise by Saturn's men. The stated reason was that a Celestial Dragons had taken a liking to Ginny and was being brought to Holy Land Mary Geoise as Celestial Dragons's wife.
Vic didn't know was that Saturn harbored a grudge against Kuma and had already begun implementing his scheme when capturing Ginny, so he wouldn't give them a chance to rescue her!
After Vic informed Dragon and Kuma of this news, Dragon and his side discussed it and decided to send Vic and several of their Revolutionary Army officers to the Celestial Dragons ' holy land to rescue people.
But since Vic already knew that Mary Geoise likely harbored God Realm expert, how could he possibly risk it? Wouldn't that be suicide?
So Vic went to the Revolutionary Army headquarters and privately told Dragon about the existence of the Law God and his speculations.
This serves two purposes: firstly, to let Dragon know about the existence of the God Realm and to encourage him to focus his efforts there in the future; and secondly, to make Dragon think twice before going, as there is a high probability that he will be wiped out and all his previous efforts will be in vain!
Vic didn't know what Dragon and Kuma said, but in the end, Kuma decided to give up on rescuing Ginny and even smiled bitterly, wishing Ginny happiness. However, Kuma became even more silent afterward, devoting all his time to the revolutionary cause and suppressing rebellions in various places.
Although Kuma had already begun his revolutionary actions against the World Government, Kuma was mostly swept up in the movement and didn't have much of his own opinion. He was largely led into joining the Revolutionary Army by Ginny and Ivankov.
He hadn't yet let go of the subjective idea that the Celestial Dragons were the creators, and he still held Celestial Dragons in awe. This was the main reason why he decided to give up after learning that Ginny had been chosen by Celestial Dragons to marry!
It's not that Vic is cold-blooded and doesn't want to save people; he's become quite detached from such matters. If you want to truly change the world, some sacrifices are inevitable. Countless people who rebelled against the World Government have sacrificed their lives in the past, but they haven't even made Flower Capital!
Therefore, it's best to save your life for when you can still be useful. There's a real possibility that the Celestial Dragons will be overthrown in the future, and Vic didn't want to gamble on the present. He also gave some advice to the depressed Dragon before returning to forging the pirate ship.
By the time Vic had roughly set up the pirate ship, it was already the year 1509 of the Sea Circle Calendar. Vic was 22 years old and had been in this world for 12 years. There were still 10 years until the beginning of the story of Pirate King!
With Vic's base of operations established, things become much simpler. Vic can now lie low, develop his influence and strengthen his team, laying the groundwork for the future.
1509 (the year of the Sea Circle Calendar )
Using the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit as an energy source, Vic propelled the nearly completed pirate ship away from the coast, heading straight for Titan Island.
This is a steel pirate ship that has never appeared on the sea before. Others who see this pirate ship will only think it is unique and Haki. Only Vic knows that it is a replica of the destroyer from his previous life.
The pirate ship is predominantly silver-gray in color, and its speed is unmatched by any sailing ship in this world, reaching a top speed of thirty knots, giving it an unparalleled advantage on the high seas.
Whether it's escaping or pursuing, it can leave other ships in despair. Of course, speed is just the basic ability of this pirate ship. In the future, it will demonstrate its all-around formidable combat capabilities!
" Vic! The World Government is hunting Shanks and his crew relentlessly. Should we lend a hand?"
Just as Vic was focused on controlling the pirate ship's energy system and course, Rebecca called. Vic asked what had happened and learned the reason why the World Government was hunting Shanks.
Shanks stole a World Government warship, a special warship disguised as an ordinary one, because it was carrying the Gum-Gum Fruit!
Of course, this is just the name on the surface. Only the Five Elders know the real name of this Devil Fruit Devil Fruit and how much trouble it will cause. That's why they are hunting down Shanks and his crew so relentlessly.
Even members of the Holy Knights were involved, and the treatment was similar to what Vic had received before. The Gum-Gum Fruit was too important, as it was related to that person from eight hundred years ago, so the World Government sent a large-scale operation this time, which is why Rebecca consulted Vic's opinion.
They only found out later that Shanks and his crew had helped them when they were being hunted.
"No need! Let me ask Shanks. They seem to have escaped unscathed this time!"
Vic knew this plot: Shanks, whether intentionally or unintentionally, stole the Gum-Gum Fruit and then went to Windmill Village in the Goa Kingdom of the East Blue, where he lived for about half a year.
Then, during this time, Shanks met Luffy and accidentally Luffy eat the Gum-Gum Fruit. So Shanks wasn't in any danger this time, and this was the real beginning of the story! Therefore, Vic didn't want to get involved and cause any trouble.
Regardless of whether Shanks knew the true name of the Gum-Gum Fruit or who he wanted to give Gum-Gum Fruit to, the Gum-Gum Fruit chose Luffy, and Luffy and the Gum-Gum Fruit are the most compatible. There's no need to change that. But Vic still wants to know whether Shanks was forced to go to the East Blue or went East Blue voluntarily.
Vic called Shanks and learned that Shanks had already shaken off the World Government's pursuit and reached the East Blue, no longer needing his help.
Vic even suspected that Rayleigh had told Shanks about Roger having offspring, and then Shanks, upon hearing that Garp had a grandson in the East Blue, made some connections and misunderstood, taking Luffy for Roger's child.
That's why they settled in Foosha Village, gradually leading Luffy onto the path of piracy, and even blatantly displaying the stolen Gum-Gum Fruit on the bar, right next to Luffy's hand!
That would be too deliberate. Moreover, once you understand Luffy's personality, you only need to guide him a little and Luffy will eat the Gum-Gum Fruit.
Whether this was a coincidence or a deliberate act, Vic wasn't sure; it was just his guess, and only Shanks himself knew the truth.